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Does Reflexology Really Work?

Reflexology DOES work to produce relaxation and possibly pain.

More Info: Brought to us by ancient Western culture, reflexology focuses on the health of the body by having various sections of the foot massaged. The body then heals itself through your qi (ch'i). There is little evidence to substantiate claims that reflexology actually cures any health conditions, but the limited studies do show that reflexology has been effective in producing relaxation and possibly reducing pain.

What Is Qi?

The qi represents energy flow. Energy can be transformed into many things. Negative energy for instance or stress as we call it today, can affect how the body responds to normal situations. Stress can wreak havoc on healthy cells and can develop free radicals. These free radicals are responsible for cancer, high cholesterol, diabetes, and many other health problems and diseases. If the qi is unhealthy and out of harmonious balance then the body can become susceptible to disease. The Chinese believe that as one ages, the qi decreases. Hence Chinese medicine seeks to transform that negative energy into positive energy and even increase the lifespan of the qi through ancient practices such as acupuncture and reflexology.

How Does Reflexology Work?

Reflexology utilizes different zones in the foot and hand by massaging or providing pressure points to heal troubled parts of the body. These zones cover brain, sinus, joints, heart, breast, lung, kidneys, pancreas, liver, spleen, stomach, and many other parts of the body. After proper massage of these zones the belief is that you become recharged and the qi is rejuvenated. Reflexology is believed to treat everything from pregnancy morning sickness to arthritis.

Why the Foot?

Why massage the feet and hands and not go directly to the source? Because massaging the actual body part in question is difficult with so many layers of tissue, reflexology works on the premise that by starting at the nerve endings in the feet and hands, one can interrupt the stress patterns that are assaulting the body. Reflexologists believe that by becoming fully relaxed, the body can then heal itself and that by massaging these thousands of nerve endings the body will achieve this relaxed state.